Makes approximately 2 dozen Patties (depending on how big you make them)
ELEMENTS:
One and a half cups of rinsed QUINOA
Three cups of WATER
A big pinch of NO SALT SEASONING
A big pinch of GARLIC POWDER
A pinch of FINE SEA SALT
OIL for frying (I used a mix of both reg olive oil and canola oil tonight.)
One small RED ONION, finely diced
One small ZUCCHINI, washed and finely diced
One clove fresh minced GARLIC
Two large EGGS (preferably organic and cage free)
Splash of BRAGGS LIQUID AMINOS
FINE SEA SALT and BLACK PEPPER to taste
Around one cup of PANKO BREADCRUMBS (You can also use gluten free breadcrumbs.)
Application:
To prep your quinoa, combine the first 5 ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and let it sit covered for another 5 minutes. Once all the liquid is absorbed and your quinoa is soft and fluffy, pour it into a large mixing bowl, give it a good stir, then let it cool down a bit.
Prepare your veg. Pour oil in a fry pan, about 1/4 inch deep, and place the pan over medium-high heat.
Back to your mixing bowl, once the quinoa has cooled some, mix in the remaining ingredients to the bowl and just enough breadcrumbs so it all holds together but is still sticky to the touch– dare I say, even a tiny bit runny. (Think gloppy oatmeal.) Taste and add more herbs/seasonings as needed. Again, you want your mixture to be just barely firm enough to handle, but still sticky/wet to the touch. It WILL stick on your hands a bit. You don’t want them to be dry after frying.
Test your oil to see if it’s hot enough by dropping a tiny bit of your quinoa mixture into the oil. It should float up and sizzle/bubble immediately. When your oil is ready, using your hands, get a scoop of the quinoa mixture, smoosh it into a ball, then gently pat it into a patty shape. If you have extra breadcrumbs, you can sprinkle some on the outside of the patty and gently pat it in. Carefully slip the patty into the pan/oil. Repeat until the pan is partially full. (Don’t overcrowd the pan. You need room for flipping.) Once the underside of the patties are nice and golden crisp, use a spatula to gently flip them over. (The goal is to only flip once.) Once both sides are golden, remove patties from the pan and let them drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining quinoa mixture. Serve immediately.
Tips:
You can add finely diced carrots, sweet potato, mushrooms, or a variety of other veg and herbs too. The flavor combinations are endless! Just be sure to squeeze out the excess water if you’re using a veg that naturally contains a lot of water/juice.
